by Jolanta Maria Nitoslawska-Romer, M.Ed.
International Director of Academic Affairs, BE+Live
When Covid hit, school administrators were rightly worried that many teachers were not quite ready for the challenge. Moreover, they also believed that many of these teachers did not realize that they were not quite prepared. These teachers thought that they had been efficient and that therefore they would easily adapt. Schools knew that it was urgent to help these teachers become proficient at reaching and at teaching their students effectively. The problem was that often the teachers themselves were not aware of how little they knew about online learning. And if you are unconscious about your incompetence, you will not be very likely to take any action to correct it.
Researchers tell us that there are four stages in learning any new skill. In the first stage, people are unaware of how little they know. In the second stage, they realize they don’t know and begin to acquire the new skill. In stage three, they practice the skill, and finally, in stage four, they are able to use it without consciously being aware that they are doing so. They have now acquired what is called unconscious competence.
Dr. Hoff helps us to look at these stages more in-depth, and I quote:
1. Unconscious incompetence. In this first stage, the individual does not understand or know how to do something. Nor do they necessarily recognize the deficit; they may deny the usefulness of the skill altogether. To grow from this first stage, the individual must recognize their own incompetence and the value of the new skill. The length of time an individual spends in this stage depends on the strength of the stimulus to learn and change the current reality.
2. Conscious incompetence. Now that the individual recognizes the deficit, as well as the value of learning a new skill in addressing the deficit, we can say that he/she has moved to stage 2, even though no additional understanding or knowledge has been achieved. Through much effort, and with inevitable mistakes along the way, learning begins to occur, which will propel the individual to the next stage.
3. Conscious competence. By now, the individual has developed basic competency in the new knowledge or skill. However, demonstrating such awareness and capacity requires purposeful concentration. It may need to be broken down into steps for the new skill to be effectively executed.
4. Unconscious competence. Finally, the individual has had so much practice with a skill that it has become “second nature.” It can be performed quickly and easily, without much thought. As a result, the skill can be performed while executing another task. The individual may be able to teach it to others, depending upon how and when it was learned.
To understand how this works, you could think about a skill such as learning how to sail. At first (stage one, unconscious incompetence), the aspiring sailor just thinks that she can get into the boat, pull up the sail, and steer the boat. It looks so easy! Then she realizes (stage two, conscious incompetence,) that sailing requires some theoretical knowledge and skills, so she recognizes that she needs lessons to learn more about the boat itself and how to better “catch” the wind. After studying and practicing (stage three, conscious competence), she begins to have the skills to sail. They are still quite awkward, and she probably has to think about all the steps. Finally, (stage four, unconscious competence) after some time, she becomes so skilled that she can not only sail, but she is good at it. She can now go where she wants, and those who sail with her feel safe and comfortable.
It’s the same with virtual classrooms. Most teachers will go through the four stages when they are asked to do new things before they become proficient. It is important for school administrators: principals, coordinators, as well as any outside coaches such as the BE+Live coaches to recognize the stages teachers are at. We know that some teachers, who were aware of what they lacked, quickly, on their own or with the help of schools or coaches, took steps to acquire new knowledge and skills. They’re the ones who quickly became proficient and offered their students top-notch instruction very soon after the remote learning situation began.
The lesson for all of us is to remind our teachers that learning occurs through a predictable process of four stages. We should continue to be vigilant in supporting teachers at whatever stage they are at so that all can be helped, with specific steps at each stage, to reach levels of unconscious mastery.
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Adapted from Naphtali Hoff, PsyD
www.smartbrief.com/original/2020/08/help-teachers-become-unconsciously-competentug, 2020
Accessed Aug 15, 2020
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